Black College Poll/All-America Teams to Debut in 2026

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Black College Football Poll (BCFP) and the Black College Football All-American teams will make inaugural debuts just in time for the start of the 2026 college football season as it was announced on Wednesday, April 22, from the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.
 
The Black College Football Poll and the Black College Football All-American teams have been formally endorsed and sanctioned by the two NCAA Division I conferences – SWAC and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) – along with the two NCAA Division II conferences (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference).
 
The BCFP will be conducted weekly throughout the regular season using a panel of head coaches and select media members. Each voter will submit a Top 10 with a first-place vote worth 10 points, second place 9, and so on down to one point for 10th.
 
In addition to the weekly poll the voting body for each respective division will also vote and select a Black College Football All-American team (Preseason and Postseason) that will consist of the top HBCU student athletes (First- and Second Team). 
 
Individual awards shall also be awarded for Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year.
 
The Commissioners of the four HBCU conferences released a joint statement highlighting the significance of the newly created BCFP and the Black College Football All-American Team.
 
"We're extremely excited to partner on the formation and creation of the Black College Football Poll and the Black College Football All-American Team," the statement read.
 
"We view this strategic alliance as a game changer for our respective leagues and undoubtedly a significant step in the right direction towards unifying our collective conferences as it relates to preseason/postseason polls and awards while simultaneously recognizing the best Black College Football teams and student-athletes at the highest level," said SWAC Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland.
 
The Black College Football Poll will feature two poll divisions and two All-American teams (NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II). The first preseason poll release along with the unveiling of the Preseason Black College Football teams is slated for Wednesday, July 1.
 
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